The Beacon
Newsletter
March 8, 2024 Volume 66, No 10
This SUNDAY: Fourth Sunday of Lent: I’m fixed upon it!
Peter is fixed upon what he believes about the Messiah. He expects Jesus to take up the sword, defeating the Romans. Finally, Israel will be free of occupation and suffering! But then Jesus says that he will suffer and die. When Peter passionately objects, Jesus’ response seems sharp: “Get yourself behind me, you Satan!” This comes immediately after he has commended Peter, naming him as “The Rock.” While staying true to faith in Jesus, Peter is invited to reimagine what “Messiah” means – as we are, too. And what if Jesus is not only speaking to Peter when he retorts, “Get behind me, “ but also to the temptations that rise within himself? Peter’s wandering heart and Jesus’ humanity give us much to ponder – in light of our own faith and humanity, too.
To prepare, please read: Matthew 16:21-23. Pastor Paula Ulrich
Sunday, March 10
9:30 a.m. Meet & Eat
10:30 a.m. Worship
Monday, March 11
6:30 p.m Witness Commission
Office Open 8:00 a.m.-1 p.m.
Tuesday, March 12
12:30 p.m Spirit Journey Women
6:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal
7:00 p.m. Nurture Commission
Office Closed
Wednesday, March 13
9:30-11:30 a.m. Food Bank
8:00 p.m Stewards Commission
Pastor Anna Lisa On-site
8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Office Open
Thursday, March 14
4:00 p.m. Worship Preview meeting
6:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal (bell choir to follow)
Office Closed
Friday, March 15
Pastor Paula’s Day Off
9:00-2:00 p.m. Office Open
Saturday, March 16
Sunday, March 17
9:30 a.m. Meet & Eat
10:30 a.m. Worship
Remember to check the Breeze calendar for upcoming events and activities!
Worship on 3/3/2024:
In-person attendance 56
Offering 2/25 $5,516
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Food Bank on 2/28/2024:
Individuals served: 50
Families served: 20
A Special Request
Tom and Ruth Ann Bever know a man who needs financial help this month for his rent. If you wish to help, you can put any amount of cash in the designated place in the church office by this Sunday. He will greatly appreciate any help he can get. Thank you!
Easter Flowers: Deadline for Ordering -- Sunday, March 10
Help to decorate the worship center for Easter! You may order flowers in memory or honor of someone, or simply to share with the church on Easter Sunday. Prices are as follows:
Lilies
Single plant 6" pot. $15.00
Double plant. $25.00
Triple plant. $45.00
Bulb plants
Hyacinth, tulip, or daffodil. $14.00
A sign-up list will be on the counter outside of the office. An envelope will be provided to leave a check, payable to the church, or cash with your order. After worship on Easter Sunday, you may pick up your flower; or leave it at the church for Leland Harding to plant in the flower beds around the church building.
ReFRESH Update
The ReFRESH pledge campaign is underway, bringing possibilities for new carpet, color, and character to our church building! More than 120 letters are headed to mailboxes throughout the country to current and former friends of Beacon Heights as we invite both prayerful and financial support of this effort.
Our goal is to raise $20,000 in pledges by April1 so that specific projects can determined from a broad list of projects, and that pledges will be fulfilled by June 1 for work to be completed over the summer. A quick look at the funding thermometer in the hallway will tell you our level of progress each week. Look, too, for posters with examples of what is being considered for a color scheme, wall décor, furniture options, and eventually carpet samples.
To make a pledge, complete a pledge card from the ushers’ table and drop it in the ReFRESH box. If you wish to make a donation, drop it in the offering plate or refresh box with a note that says “ReFRESH” on it. Small envelopes marked “ReFRESH” are on the ushers’ table to ensure your privacy. You can also make a donation via our website by linking it to the ReFRESH Fund (4716). All donations – large or small – represent our confidence in the presence and ministries of Becon Heights.
Questions or ideas? Talk to a ReFRESH committee member anytime – Donna Kline, Carol Lindquist, Linda Wolf, Linda Myers, Thom Quinlan, and Lisa Liechty-Steele.
Indiana Primaries
The Indiana Primaries are approaching on May 7, and this is the perfect time to make sure you're registered to vote. You might be confident that you are, but in this era of renewed voter suppression, names disappear from the rolls.
Please take a moment to check your voter registration status here! Enter your name exactly as it appears on your registration. I was surprised that Anna Lisa Gross is not registered, but Anna Gross is. As you prepare your plan to vote, take a moment to learn what offices are on the ballot and who the candidates are in each district here.
Update: Fundraiser for Haya Saleh
On Earth Peace has raised just over CA$30,000 with nearly 300 separate donations. That’s 35% of their goal! Their team gives thanks for your sacrificial support for Haya and her family. They know that many of you have helped boost this GoFundMe in your own networks. THANK YOU!
Please put March 11, 7 PM ET on your calendar to watch a musical fundraiser for Haya and her family sponsored by the Manchester Church of the Brethren (North Manchester, Indiana, USA), and share this event with anyone in your networks! See below for more information.
GoFundMe Link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-haya-and-her-family-flee-gaza
Azza on the GoFundMe team is Haya’s aunt.
Easter Candy Needed!
The education commission needs candy to fill Easter Eggs. Please bring in any donations by March 24th.
Thank you!
"Fight Like Jesus" during
Meet and Eat!!!
For four Sundays in March during Meet and Eat, we will be discussing Jason Porterfield's book, Fight Light Jesus: How Jesus Waged Peace throughout Holy Week (Herald Press, 2022). Porterfield structures the book based on the events of each day of Holy Week. If you are reading along, please keep the following schedule in mind. If you aren't reading along, that's fine. Dan Ulrich will summarize the important points.
March 3
Chapter 1: "The Key to Holy Week"
Chapter 2: "Palm Sunday: Of Hammers and Lambs"
March 10
Chapter 3: "Monday: The Whip of Christ"
Chapter 4: "Tuesday: Traps, Truth-Telling, and Traitors"
March 17
Chapter 5: "Wednesday: Two Roads Diverged, and I Took"
Chapter 6: "Thursday: A Community Conceived"
March 23
Chapter 7: "Friday: Who Holds the Hammer?"
Chapter 8: "Saturday and Sunday: Peace Be with You"
WHAT’S THIS? A potluck for Meet and Eat? Starting this month, the last Sunday of each month will be a potluck. That means anyone is invited to share something for breakfast. You don’t have to cook but you can. You can bring a box of donuts, cereal, yogurt, whatever you wish. It will be a great experiment to see what happens on potluck Sundays! Remember the LAST Sunday of each month!
Lawnmower Needed!
If you have a used lawnmower to donate or sell to Meshack and Aimerance (the African refugee family we sponsor), please inform Kyla Zehr, Ev or Carla Kilgore, or Leslie Sperry
Ladies’ Birthday Luncheon
The Ladies’ Birthday Luncheon will be on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 Blueberry Pancake House at 12:30 p.m. All ladies are invited to join the group for lunch at the Blueberry Pancake House, Georgetown Square, 6736 East State Blvd, just east of the library in the strip mall. We will celebrate those with March birthdays. Please RSVP to Sharon Heitz or Mary Whitehead by Tuesday, March 12, if you plan to attend. We hope to see many of you there.
Family Meeting for Parents, Children, and our Christian Educators: Sunday, March 17, 11:45-12:10 in the Parlor
Please mark your calendars and plan to attend this important meeting. We'll review upcoming summer activities for our children, talk about summer camp at Camp Mack and scholarships, and also review safe activities, safe spaces, and the ways we want to interact with one another when we're in the church building together. Have questions? Please speak with Pastor Paula or Pastor Anna Lisa.
Weekly Food Bank Update
Thank you for all your donations! Currently, the most needed items are pancake mix and syrup. Monetary donations are also appreciated.
Shoppers are needed for March 2024, if you would like to sign-up! The sign-up sheet is located on the office countertop.
February 2024 Food Bank Statistics
Open 4 Wednesdays
Families served: 83
Individuals served: 244
Food donations
Beacon Heights: 663 lbs.
Associated Churches: 960 lbs.
Other Churches: 687 lbs.
In addition, Beacon Heights shoppers spent $1226.87 for 877 lbs.
22 Beacon Heights Food Bank volunteers spent 168 hrs. to keep the Food Bank operating in February
Thank you to all the February 2024 volunteers
Mike Crill, Brenda Galbraith, Kathy Schmidt, Jeanie Lantz, Sharon Heitz, Jan Lung, Maurie Sperry, Dianne Lung, Mary Whitehead, Joan Thompson, Mark Beck, Lois Guess, Ev Kilgore, Tom Coursen, Susan Harroff, MaryJane Coursen, Rachel Harroff, Kris Bohnstedt -Thorn, Sean Harroff, Barb Bohnstedt-Thorn, Kyla Harroff, and Kyla Zehr
An Invitation
This is an invitation to the 100th birthday celebration for Joe Mason who is Ev Kilgore's dad. Feel free to attend if you would like or send him a card at:
Box 501
N. Manchester, IN 46962
Paintings for Sale
The paintings currently hanging next to and across from Pastor Anna Lisa's office will be switched out soon to ones with a spring theme. Linda Myers, the artist, is making the current winter themed ones available for purchase, and will donate half of the proceeds to the church's ReFresh fund. The price of each painting in the 16x20 black frames is $80 a piece, and the two smaller ones of the bird and hill top trees are $50. The poinsettia one in the front walkway is also $50, and the large one of snowy winter birches with a stream is $400 and includes a custom frame and mat. Frames and mats are not included with any of the other art pieces, as they will continue to be used for new artwork. Please contact Linda Myers if you are interested in purchasing any of these art pieces at 260-414-2551 or email, lindadaintymyers@gmail.com.
Your Chance to Support the Refugee Family!
Aimerance needs rides to and from her English class on Tuesdays and Fridays. It runs from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Class is at 1005 West Rudisill (Door A), on the former campus of Fort Wayne Bible College/Taylor University. You can drive her whenever it works for you. Please contact Kyla Zehr as soon as possible if you are available on any Tuesday or Friday. (Aimerance is very friendly and communicates well with smiles for now. She lives very near the church at 2606 Lynn Avenue). Thank you!
Next SUNDAY: March 17, 2024
Theme: Fifth Sunday of Lent: Labor of Love
Jesus’ instruction to forgive 70x7 times is both daunting and abstract. Forgiveness is a whole lot of work. It’s not simply forgetting and moving on. It can be done with or without repentance. Forgiveness is essential in any long-term loving relationship. ‘“Love” is more than a feeling. Love is a form of sweet labor: fierce, bloody, imperfect, and life-giving—a choice we make over and over again. If love is sweet labor, love can be taught, modeled, and practiced. This labor engages all our emotions. Joy is the gift of love. Grief is the price of love. Anger protects that which is loved. And when we think we have reached our limit, wonder is the act that returns us to love.” - Valerie Kaur
To prepare, please read: Matthew 18:15-22.
Pastor Anna Lisa Gross
Published by Beacon Heights
Church of the Brethren
Editor: Alexis Shoda
Phone: (260) 482-8595
Email: office@beaconheights.net
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